Hearing Helen Herman's words, Matthew felt a chill run down his spine. The original book and screenplay were already with Paramount Pictures, and it seemed likely that the movie rights had been sold. However, he wasn't ready to give up easily, knowing that anything could happen in this chaotic industry. Besides, he had seen many screenplays left on desks, not for production but to gather dust.
He asked Helen Herman to find out more about "Twilight," especially concerning Paramount Pictures. He also called Bella Anderson, asking her and her team to gather and investigate relevant information.
In some ways, his vague recollection of certain events led to the current situation. While he had a faint impression of some Hollywood stars, he hadn't even watched the "Twilight" series, only knowing it made them hugely popular.
As for "The Hunger Games," Matthew didn't mention it to Helen Herman or Bella Anderson, mainly because he hadn't heard of any young actress with the last name Lawrence gaining fame yet. He even wondered if the series had been published.
Matthew knew Helen Herman had suspicions about his knack for picking box-office hits and avoiding flops. As astute as she was, it was only natural for her to be curious. While others might think his choices resulted from careful analysis by his management team, she knew otherwise. Still, she had asked him a couple of times, and when he gave evasive answers, she lost interest because his decisions always led to the best outcomes for them.
Matthew could guess that Helen Herman suspected he was hiding something, but as a rational woman, she wouldn't jump to wild conclusions.
Over the next few days, Matthew left "Twilight" matters to Helen Herman and Bella Anderson. He, on the other hand, scoured bestseller lists and visited the largest bookstore in Beverly Hills several times. However, he found no novels related to "The Hunger Games." Instead, he came across a few Japanese books titled "Battle Royale," which seemed somewhat similar to the vaguely remembered movie scenes.
He even asked several bookstore owners if they had seen any English novels similar to "Battle Royale," but came up empty-handed.
After some investigation, Matthew concluded that "The Hunger Games" probably hadn't been published yet, so discussing movie rights was premature.
He briefly considered commissioning a similar novel but dismissed the idea. Even if the original author was writing it, he couldn't recall enough content to hire a ghostwriter.
The few movie scenes he vaguely remembered didn't even seem as detailed as what he read in "Battle Royale."
Matthew decided to set "The Hunger Games" aside for now, planning to keep an eye out for it in the future while waiting for updates from Helen Herman and Bella Anderson.
Before they could bring any definitive news, David Ellison visited.
"David, you're not here to press for money, are you?" Matthew joked as he welcomed David Ellison into the living room, offering him coffee. "I told you before that the follow-up funds for 'Fast & Furious 4' would take a few more days. My Thirteen Movie Studio is in the registration process, and once that's done, the investment will go through the studio's accounts."
"I'm not here for that," David Ellison said, looking uncharacteristically serious. "You mentioned starting a film studio last time, and I've been thinking about it. I have a proposal."
"Go ahead," Matthew said. "We're close enough for you to speak freely."
David Ellison didn't beat around the bush. "I want to exchange a portion of Skydance Media's shares for a share in Thirteen Studio, or I could invest directly in your studio."
"Oh?" Matthew thought for a moment and asked, "How much equity are you thinking?"
"About thirty percent," David Ellison replied, explaining, "We're good friends and close collaborators. If I hold some of Thirteen Studio's shares and you hold some of Skydance Media's, it will benefit our future cooperation."
Matthew didn't respond immediately, weighing the pros and cons. The future projects of Thirteen Studio would likely be few independent films, with a focus on commercial productions, which often required substantial funding, like the not-yet-found "The Hunger Games," which could easily need around $100 million. This meant significant risk.
No one could guarantee the success of a commercial film, especially with his involvement.
Having a wealthy and capable partner to share the risk was advantageous. Otherwise, a single failure of a major project could bankrupt the studio.
David Ellison, like him, was bold and proactive. Their previous collaborations had been very satisfying.
Moreover, David Ellison's financial resources and the powerful Ellison family backing him were an incredibly strong force.
Matthew was now quite wealthy himself, with his net worth approaching $400 million thanks to the rising Apple stock prices. However, most of this wealth—$250 million—was tied up in Apple and Marvel Comics stocks, which he didn't want to sell.
The rest included the Hubble Estate, an immovable asset, and some cash "donated" to two charitable foundations. There was also the $40 million invested in "Iron Man" and $60 million in "Fast & Furious 4." Another major investment of tens of millions would stretch him thin.
Even as a commercial outsider, Matthew knew it was essential to maintain a certain amount of liquid capital.
From every angle, David Ellison's proposed equity exchange offered more benefits than drawbacks.
Matthew could understand David Ellison's desire to solidify their partnership through this deal.
"How about this, David," Matthew said, considering the proposal but not ready to decide immediately. "I'll think about it seriously and get back to you soon."
David Ellison didn't expect Matthew to make a hasty decision and said, "Sure, I hope it's good news."
Matthew smiled, "No matter what, we're friends."
"Of course," David Ellison agreed, adding, "I'm still looking forward to working with you."
He then changed the subject, "What's the situation with Brad Pitt?"
"I've been in touch with Natalie Portman," Matthew said, briefly summarizing the situation. "We're still unsure of the exact progress."
David Ellison frowned in thought. "I'll send someone to find out." He lowered his voice, speaking conspiratorially, "I've got an insider at Plan B."
"Uh..." Matthew was a bit taken aback. "Is that allowed?"
"It's just low-level commercial espionage," David Ellison dismissed it casually.
Matthew suddenly remembered a widely reported incident: Larry Ellison once planted a corporate spy among Microsoft's janitors, using discarded paper to land a blow on Microsoft, prompting an angry outburst from Gates at a press conference.
Could the Ellison family be good at this tactic?
Shaking off these thoughts, Matthew asked, "Is it reliable?"
David Ellison nodded, "Don't worry, it's very reliable."
Such a thrilling and fun activity hadn't come Matthew's way in a while. The idea of taking down a big Hollywood player felt even more satisfying than successfully investing in a film.
Understanding the mentality of the wealthy, Matthew could somewhat relate, as he was now wealthy himself.
Many Hollywood stars were wealthy, and those with net worths over a billion weren't uncommon, Brad Pitt among them.
"Natalie, welcome back."
In Plan B's office, Brad Pitt warmly greeted Natalie Portman, who had just returned from Africa. After a brief hug, he stepped back to get a good look at her, saying, "You've tanned."
After attending a conference in Geneva, Natalie Portman returned to New York, then traveled to Africa with a UN team, spending many days there to build her charitable image. She had only recently returned to the USA, taking a short break before coming to Los Angeles to continue preparations for "Cloud Atlas."
"The African sun is intense," Natalie Portman said, sitting down. "And there are so many mosquitoes; their bites are terrible."
She almost mentioned how effective the wind oil essence Matthew recommended was in repelling insects and providing a refreshing sensation—an essential item for tropical travel.
Having spent time in Africa with Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt understood the environment there. After some conversation about Africa, they shifted to discussing the preparations for "Cloud Atlas."
"Everything is going smoothly," Brad Pitt said, showing his charm as the middle-aged idol. "Barring any surprises, we can start official preparations before the new year, aiming for a summer 2009 release."
Natalie Portman, who had always liked the original novel and the Wachowski siblings' script, smiled and said, "This is the best project I've seen combining commercial appeal with depth. I believe it will be as successful as 'The Matrix.'"
Brad Pitt was confident, "Absolutely."
"By the way, Pitt," Natalie Portman said, changing the topic, "I met Matthew Horner in Geneva. He's a goodwill ambassador for the UNHCR."
Brad Pitt nodded, aware of this fact.
Natalie Portman continued, "Matthew Horner was very disappointed about losing 'Cloud Atlas.' He seemed quite upset about it."
Brad Pitt chuckled, finding it quite amusing that getting the project away from Matthew Horner and David Ellison was no small feat.
"And," Natalie Portman added, "I managed to get some information from Matthew Horner. He mentioned that he plans to work on a major project..."
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